I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to printing apparatus and more specifically to a system for printing business documents with both alpha/numeric characters and with standard MICR symbols. II. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the past, business documents such as blank checks and related deposit tickets have been chiefly produced through the use of offset printing presses. Such techniques have involved manual labor and multiple-step functions to generate high-quality printed documents. Improvements in typewriters, typesetting equipment, word processors and hard-copy impact printers designed for the data processing industry have addressed many of the economic obstacles which are inherent in the prior art, labor-intensive printing systems. More recently, the introduction of high-quality dry-copier xerographic printers for low-volume duplication tasks have provided an alternative to the printing press and other conventional printing processes. Such technological enhancements in electronic typesetting, together with advanced dry-copier image-transfer techniques, have permitted the automation of the set-up, paper-handling and collating functions of the printing process. Nevertheless, computer-controlled printers have not been able to duplicate the quality, proportional spacing and style flexibility available through the use of offset printing.
Because of the demand for high alpha/numeric print quality, almost all of the personal checks sold in the United States are currently produced by independent check printing companies utilizing traditional printing press equipment. Because of the significant capital outlays for such equipment and the incompatibility of a mechanical printing press to an office environment, banks and similar institutions have not attempted to produce checks for their customers on an in-house basis. Because of the inability of computer high-speed printers to provide required print quality, domestic manufacturers of such printers have concentrated on selling their equipment to companies which produce their own business checks or to foreign customers where high alpha/numeric print quality is not demanded.
The system of the present invention provides a cost-effective printing system having the flexibility and efficiency inherent in computer printers but with significantly improved alpha/numeric print style and quality and integrating several check printing functions, including the ability to print MICR symbols so precisely and accurately that the coding can later be read using MICR compatible sensors.